Just an Old Fashioned Love Song
by Tari Roo
Summary: Danny took a CPR class when Gracie was born, just in case. Danny never once imagined that he'd have to do bastardised rescue breathing to keep 'I'm a Navy Seal, I can hold my breath for five hours' Steve McGarrett alive. Sick!Steve Worried!Danny
1. Chapter 1

Just an Old Fashioned Love Song

Author: Tari_Roo

Rating: PG13 (Gen)

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I profit from nothing. Although if I had my way Steve would be bare-chested even more than he is, we would actually 'see' Danny trying to surf and Kono would be a secret Cylon. That is all.

Summary: Danny took a CPR class when Gracie was born, just in case. Danny never once imagined that he'd have to do bastardised rescue breathing to keep 'I'm a Navy Seal, I can hold my breath for five hours' Steve McGarrett alive. Sick!Steve Worried!Danny

Spoilers: for season 1 of Hawaii 5-0

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Prologue

Danny took a CPR class when Gracie was born, just in case. There was a new little life in the world and a hundred dangers. He recertified when they moved to Hawaii, because it's an island after all. During all of those classes, Danny never once imagined that he'd have to do bastardised rescue breathing to keep 'I'm a Navy Seal, I can hold my breath for five hours' Steve McGarrett alive.

Taking a deep breath, Danny ducked down into the chest high water, heading for McGarrett on the deck of the boat. Holding the railing above Steve's head, Danny grabbed his shoulder as well and moved to cover Steve's mouth with his. Breathing out his lungful of air, Danny immediately stood up and took another deep breath.

Inhaling again, Danny ducked down and headed for Steve. The water was cold, but fortunately not rising, but McGarrett was no further along in freeing his foot. Danny leant forward, and gave Steve another shot of oxygen, mouth to mouth. Steve nodded, and returned to trying to pull himself free from the heavy cabinet and array of shelves.

Danny's head was swimming, lightheaded from the strain of breathing for two. Inhaling again, he thought briefly, "Get a move on, Kono!"

McGarrett was kicking at the shelves with his left leg, and nearly clipped Danny as he descended. Knocking the leg aside, Danny leant in for the weirdest 'we are never talking about this ever' kiss in his life.

Again.

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Kono pounded down the jetty towards the half sunken cruiser, the prow of the boat sticking up in the air. The small incendiary device that had exploded at the stern had knocked the entire boat off kilter. A panicked phone call from Williams, Chin still at HQ and Kono was kicking off her shoes and diving into the water.

The cabin in the prow was half underwater, half not and Kono scrambled onboard and ducked down into the cabin. She caught a glimpse of Danny's head disappearing into the water and she clattered down the stairs, slipping under the water. Danny was pulling away from Steve, heading for the surface. Kono swam over to the cabinet and shelves and pulled up. McGarrett kicked in concert with her, shaking the shelves. But before they could do more than shift the shelves, Kono had to surface.

Danny was heading down as she did so, and as Kono broke the surface and sucked in oxygen, she waited. When Danny emerged, looking breathless and exhausted, she yelled, "I'll take over. You shift the cabinet."

Without giving him a chance to argue, Kono inhaled and submerged, dropping towards McGarrett. He was still kicking and squirming but readily accepted her lips on his. Out of the corner of her eye, Kono saw Danny drop in, and touch the cabinet. He started pulling up as she stood, desperate for air. In the dripping close confines of the cabin, William's shoulders were close to the surface as he struggled to lift. Ducking down, Kono headed for Steve. The shelves were moving and Steve was pulling on his leg. Instead of moving to offer a rescue breath, Kono kicked at the shelf and suddenly McGarrett was free.

For a long moment, they all stared and then all three pushed up for the surface. Combined explosions of water as they each sucked in needed air sent splashes all over the room. Danny gasped, "Thank goodness. Let's get out of here."

McGarrett was a little slow to follow and Williams grabbed his elbow, helping him along. As they reached the stairs, Steve shook him off. Kono squinted into the sun as she emerged, and waved at the paramedics pounding their own way down the jetty. The nearest ladder down into the harbour from the jetty was a good few feet away and Kono and Danny stuck close to Steve as they swam the short distance.

Danny insisted on Steve going up first and the paramedics were soon pulling him over, and checking his vitals. Danny collapsed onto the hot wooden boards of the jetty, exhausted. "Shit, who knew breathing for two would suck the life out of you?"

Kono stood, water streaming off her, pooling on the wood. She nodded she was ok at the second paramedic, who turned to check on Danny. "Anyone hurt in the explosion?" she asked.

Shaking his head, Williams waved from the boards and sighed, "McGarrett took the brunt of it. Go check on him." The paramedic ignored him and held his damp wrist, taking his pulse. The first medic had McGarrett on oxygen and was listening to his chest. His leg was bleeding sluggishly and would probably be bruised.

Frowning, shoving her soaked hair off her forehead, Kono sighed, "What the hell happened, Danny? You guys were just checking out a tip. On a drug runner."

Williams laughed, making the paramedic frown as he tried to listen to his chest. "Oh, just our usual luck. The douche had booby trapped his stash. Paranoid freak." McGarrett mumbled something under the oxygen mask and Danny pointed at him, growling, "You shut up and breathe, man. I have a killer headache so you're probably got one twice as bad."

The paramedic took the information to heart and shined a light in Danny's eyes, making him exclaim, "What the hell, dude?"

"No signs of concussion, sir. But you'd best come back to the hospital with us. Just to be safe." Danny looked over that Steve, who was still batting at the long suffering paramedic and nodded. "No problem. And I'll sit on him for you if you need."

Kono went in search of her hastily discarded phone so that she could call Chin and let him know all was ok. Sort of.

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Danny had been given the all clear and was lounging in the patient waiting room, dressed in scrubs. The doctor was still checking McGarrett for signs of aspiration, and edema. Kono was outside dealing with the paperwork. Williams figured they'd be a while and was just leaning back in the chair for a possible nap, when Steve shoved open the doors from the examination rooms. He was shirtless, as usual, his phone pressed to his ear.

"Shit, I knew I should have taken that away." Danny stood to intercept McGarrett but he was talking loudly, and glared at Danny. A nurse in pretty pink scrubs ran out from the rooms, exclaiming, "Sir, sir. Your tests are not complete. Sir!"

"Yes, Governor. We'll be right there." McGarrett snapped his phone shut and said sharply, "We've got to go."

Undeterred, Danny stood in his way and exclaimed, "Did you tell her that you'd been blown up? Drowned? In the hospital? Any of it?"

The nurse was bouncing on her feet, nodding in concert with Danny, but McGarrett was already walking around his partner. "Hey!" Danny exclaimed.

McGarrett turned and closed the distance, jabbing his phone into Danny's chest. "We got a kid missing, from a school. You really want to dick around?" William's heart sank and he shook his head. "Thanks for communicating, and sharing. We can handle it while you get checked out."

But McGarrett was gone, heading off to sign himself out AMA. Rolling his eyes and running his hand through his hair, Danny shared a 'what can you do' look with the nurse. "Anything I should keep my eye out for?"

She frowned as she said, "Breathless, sweating, anxiety."

Williams barked out sarcastically, "Oh, so nothing unusual in a high stress job. Thanks." He ran off, fully aware that Steve would leave him behind, or try to. Good thing he had the keys to the car. "Wait up!"

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Danny insisted on driving and Steve was tired enough to let him. Williams kept on looking over at him, probably watching for signs of imminent death. His partner was such an old lady, worrying over everything. Probably made him a good father but it sucked ass in a partner.

"Eyes on the road, Williams."

"Shut up, McGarrett."

So what if he was seeing double at times, so what if his chest felt tight, so what if he damn well knew the risks of not getting checked out 100%. Aspiration symptoms had been drilled into his skull in the Navy. But a little girl was missing. Danny might argue that they weren't the only cops on the island and that Steve wasn't actually a cop. But the Governor had called and Steve obeyed orders.

When it suited.

"We are going to crash and die, Danny if you don't watch the road!"

Danny scowled and turned back to the road, mouth angry and hard. "If you keel over and die, man, I am just going to watch and let you, kay?"

"Fine."

"Fine."

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TBC

Small A/N: A dirty quick prologue because this idea wouldn't leave me alone. Now it's written and I can go back to my other WIP. More Sick!Steve and Worried!Danny to follow.. er ... soon?


	2. Chapter 2

Just an Old Fashioned Love Song 2/?

Author: Tari_Roo

Rating: PG13 (Gen)

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I profit from nothing. Although if I had my way Steve would be bare-chested even more than he is, we would actually 'see' Danny trying to surf and Kono would be a secret Cylon. That is all.

Summary: Danny took a CPR class when Gracie was born, just in case. Danny never once imagined that he'd have to do bastardised rescue breathing to keep 'I'm a Navy Seal, I can hold my breath for five hours' Steve McGarrett alive. Sick!Steve Worried!Danny

Spoilers: for season 1 of Hawaii 5-0

Chapter 1

The problem with Hawaii, one of many, was the weather. It was always gorgeous - sunny and warm. Or raining, with torrential downpours and storms. At least in Jersey you got weather, an actual spectrum of weather. Cloudy days, miserable and chilly were on the menu. Danny missed those days. When your choices were two: rain or sun, something in between was kinda nice. Especially cloudy, rain soaked, depressing days. And especially on days like this.

The search for the little girl, Ashley, was over before it started. Taken from Noelani Elementary School, her broken, bloody body was found off Round Top Drive, in open brush leading into the National Park. Standing in the sun, the sky bright and hot overhead and the sound of the wind in the trees just clashed so much with the crime scene. It was all levels of wrong, wrong, wrong. The whole road was cordoned off, police cars and vans backed up down the hill.

It should be cold, dank, grey and depressing. Not weather for the beach, with people on vacation and having fun, going to walks with their dogs. A little life had been snuffed out, all her smiles and laughter and love gone. Her mother would never hold her again. Her father would never hear her voice again, see her smile, feel her arms around his neck. The sky should be black, and foul, anything but bright.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one; Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun; Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood. For nothing now can ever come to any good.

Danny had hated that poem at school, but it had stuck with him like a stain on his soul. As a rookie he'd attended a service for a cop who'd died on duty, shot by some punk with a crappy gun. His wife had read Auden's poem then and shit if Danny hadn't remembered it word for word. It came to him at the worst times. Usually on cases with kids. Dead kids. Dismantle the damn sun.

Hell, not even Steve's shirt was funny anymore. Danny had grabbed a tourist eyesore for Steve at the hospital gift shop because his partner was pathologically unable to keep his shirt on. Now though, the bright red shirt with blue parrots and green flowers was only a little funny when you caught a glimpse of McGarrett stalking around the crime scene.

It sure as shit didn't help that Ashley was blonde and ten and a gut punch to his stomach close to Gracie in looks and age. Danny was pissed.

Kono and Chin were over by the couple who had found her while walking along the scenic road, listening in on the detectives from HPD. The parents, Julie and Clive Greer were sobbing off to the side, a female grief counsellor with them. There was now a jurisdictional debate on who would run with the murder-abduction. HPD Homicide or Five 0.

HPD with their resources, experience and manpower. Or Five 0 with passion and a track record bar none. Standing in the road, the plants on the verge leading towards the body flattened by a swarm of people, Williams knew he wanted it, badly. Wanted to shoot the perp in the face. But HPD was an army compared to their foursome. And you did what was best for the case and the family, not your pride and ego. Hopefully Steve would agree.

A splash of colour against the green of the dense foliage and Danny noted Steve trotting, more like running, downhill towards the parents, witnesses and media swarm. Happy to leave his morose thoughts about fathers never seeing little girls again, Danny yelled, "Oy! No running? You wanna die?"

An officer nearby gave Danny a confused look and Williams shrugged, "Kids, what you can do?" He huffed after Steve, who had dragged Chin and Kono aside. Away from the throng, almost on the edge of the downhill slope, they all looked at Danny expectantly as he approached and he groused, "What, more bad news?"

Steve ignored him, as usual, and hissed, "It's not the same girl." The collective disbelief slash confusion fuelled Danny's exclamation, "And what, you just sucked that information of the sunshine because one dead girl isn't enough fun in the sun for you?"

"The coroner might not be here yet what with the media circus down the road, but he's going to confirm the same that I saw. The little girl over there has been dead for days, not hours."

Something cold and hollow settled inside Danny. One dead, one missing. Shit. But Steve was still talking, "And the blood is too fresh, and not actually coming from the wounds."

Shaking his head, Danny huffed, "Run that past me again... when did you get your forensics degree?"

McGarret slammed his fist into his hand and snapped, "No, just pay attention. It's not the same girl, same clothes yes, same colour hair. But her face is so badly bashed in they are relying on the clothes to identify her. And I think Bergman is going to confirm that those injuries were done post mortem."

"What? Why?" Danny asked, Kono shaking her head. But Chin pointed his pen at Steve and said, "A red herring? A distraction."

Nodding fervently, Steve said quickly, "Yeah, totally. You find a dead girl, you stop looking for a live one. And what abductor doesn't want the cops looking for a murderer while he gets away." Kono though was tapping her notepad, her eyes bright. "Wait, wait. The parents... the Greers. The mother, Julie, remarried. Clive is Ashley's stepfather. Maybe...a disgruntled ex?"

Everyone was nodding bar Danny whose eyes narrowed at the mention of disgruntled exes. Steve checked his watch and said firmly, "I think we need to check this out, now. Let HPD run with a possible murder. I think Ashley is still out there. With someone."

Chin nodded, pulling out his phone, already dialling, "I'll run background checks, see if the biological father is on the island."

"Good. You and Chin head back to base, run those checks." Kono nodded and chased after Chin who was already halfway through the crowd, heading for the car. Danny and Steve followed a little more slowly, Williams still ruminating over everything. It was better thinking that Ashley was alive, that she could still be saved. But there was still a little dead girl up there and distraught parents. Noticing that Steve was pulling away, shouldering his way through the crowds who were more keen to see the crime scene than part and let him through, Danny picked up his pace and shouted, "What did I say about running, McGarrett?"

Catching up to Steve at the car, Danny glared his best 'Don't make me say it again' to which Steve replied, "I'm fine, Danny"

Pursing his lips in disbelief, Williams laughed, "Beyonce Knowles is fine. Jessica Simpson is fine. You Steve McGarret, are not fine." Steve stared at Danny for several long heartbeats, assessing him and said carefully, "You feeling ok, Danny? 'Cos you know, you're looking a little peaked."

"Peaked? Peaked? I am not the one who was trapped underwater for 20 minutes!" Danny closed the distance between them, ignoring the curious looks of the onlookers nearby, the patrolman off to the side. Steve tried for a nonchalant handwave and huffed, "More like 5."

Realising he was sounding more and more like a broken comedy routine, Danny threw up his hands and cried, "5? 5 minutes? You can hold your breath for 5 minutes! I did not give you mouth to mouth for 5 minutes." Realising the police offer was staring at them, mouth open in mixed disbelieving humour, Danny pointed a finger at the patrolman and barked, "What are you looking at ... go catch a cold somewhere else." And whirling back at McGarrett, finger still stiff with anger, "20 minutes Steve!"

"Fine. 7."

"20!"

Giving up, Steve gave his partner a gentle shove and snapped, "Get in the car, Danny."

Resisting the urge to shove Steve back, Danny shook his head, "No, you get in the car. We've had this conversation already, today. I am not letting you deprive Gracie of the joy of me driving her to the prom and threatening her date." McGarret smiled and moved towards the passenger side. "I thought Gracie was never going to date."

Over by the driver's side, Danny threw the door open and snapped, "Shut up! Get in!"

Steve shut up and got in. As Danny ducked into the Camero, the smell of leather and take out and beach washed over him. He muttered, "5 minutes my ass."

The interior of the car was blessedly cool after the heat of the day, once the aircon kicked in. Danny turned the engine over and screamed off, dodging the growing crowd, leaning on the horn to clear the road. Not too sure where McGarrett the Magnificent wanted them, he headed towards Waikiki proper. After the argument, the mood was a little tense and the urgency of the case and images of dead girls in white dresses made for grim driving.

Steve was fidgeting, his finger taping on the window, arm rest, his leg. That wasn't usual. Happy to leave off worrying about the case and back to worrying about Steve, who was there and accessible and helpable, Danny watched the fidgeting closely. The nurse had given him a checklist of three. So check one for anxiety. Anxiety, breathless, sweating. If Steve showed 2 out of 3, or even 1 and half out of 3, he was dragging Steve to a clinic. Now, he just had to determine if the anxiety was stress of the case related or imminent death related.

Breaking the silence, needing to talk through his own anxiety, Danny sighed, "So where are we going or are we just going to drive around until some bad guy flags us down to confess?"

Steve fidgeted, straightening in the seat, and said, "Original crime scene. See what HPD might have missed."

Annoyed on behalf of his cop colleagues, Danny couldn't help snapping, "Seeing as they are incompetent and not you, all powerful and psychic?"

Getting that pissed off look, like Danny was really trying his patience, Steve barked, "Seriously Danny what is your problem?"

Moving right back to pissed off himself, Danny laughed, "You are my problem!"

Steve didn't answer and bit his tongue instead and just glared out of the window, wiping away an errant drop of sweat. Narrowing his eyes Danny half checked off sweating on the list, but it was hot even with the aircon and they were on a missing girl case and arguing... about everything.

Feeling decidedly hot himself, Danny tried to calm down. But all he could think about was Steve, laying on the deck of a boat, underwater, Gracie lying dead in a field and Chin with a collar on his neck, Kono missing. Focus on the case, Williams. Focus on the case.

The thought that came through was, shit, maybe he should have let Steve drive, that way he could have googled pulmonary edema or water on the lungs and got the low down on symptoms and treatments. It wasn't like he could get Steve to ...

Taking one hand off the wheel, Danny snapped his fingers to get Steve's attention and said, "Get that fancy ass piece of shit you call a phone out and google pulmonary edema."

Stunned, Steve fishmouthed and stammered, "What, no!"

"Do it or I am turning this car around and taking you back to the hospital!"

Steve glared, using all of those Navy Commander cojones he had, "Williams, just up and drive. We are on a case." Luckily Danny was immune to Navy Seal crap and opened his mouth to say, "That.."

Steve's fancy ass piece of shit phone rang loudly and McGarrett grabbed it, gasping, "Thank you, Chin. Yeah, Kelly go."

Danny gripped the steering with more force than required to steer a tank and glared at the road, listening to one half of the conversation. Steve though was nodding. "Good, good. So the father has no custody and ... no visitation rights. Kay..,"

Custody and visitation and daughters, were all things that made Danny Williams pissed off, so he listened intently, shelving the imminent death of Steve McGarrett for now. Steve continued, "No connections to a morgue... funeral parlour, you don't say. New girlfriend."

McGarrett's smug face and raised eyebrows of 'and you doubted me' did little to improve Danny's mood. "Yeah, yeah, you call it in. You take the father, we'll take the girlfriend. Send it to me."

Steve was about hang up, his smugness curled up in a massive grin but it dimmed a little as Chin mumbled on the other end and he snarled, "I'm fine, Chin. Would everyone just focus on the damned case!"

Danny smiled, and in the half a beat of angry silence, Steve deflated a little and sighed, "No. Just... go pick up the father. Kay." Steve hung up and Danny now smirked at him in 'told you so' smugness. McGarrett rubbed his eyes with one hand and Danny felt a spike of guilt. Sure, the moron had booked himself out AMA, and sure he'd nearly drowned but there was a case and a little girl that was maybe with her father, so Danny said, "Girlfriend who works at a funeral parlour?"

Steve nodded, pulling his hand away, looking tired. But he packed that away, pulling on the Navy face and said, "Yeah. She had access to dead bodies. Chin said the divorce was brutal. So maybe the new girlfriend sees a girl that looks like Ashley and ..."

Danny grimaced and crinkled his nose, "They fake a kidnapping, dump an already dead body and ...that's just wrong. Sick, man. But entirely possible, so what's the address..."

Steve's phone pinged and he opened the message and said, "5 Kolomona Place, in Manoa, take East Manoa Road ..."

Danny made a sharp right turn, grinning a little as Steve cursed as he slid into the door as they turned. Turning on the police lights, Danny yelled "Could have run with her already. Everyones attention is on the dead girl. You sure the dead kid is from a funeral parlour?"

"Kono is checking flights and ferries, and has put a BOLO out of both cars. Hank, the father is salesman, does a lot of travelling. Chin is going to check the recent burials at the funeral home... see if there is a match." Steve was perking up, the surge of adrenalin making him lean forward as Danny speed down the road.

Half joking Danny asked, "Kay. Is there a hospital on the way?"

Caught off guard but suspicious, Steve drawled, "What! Why?"

Watching Steve's reaction out of one eye, the other on the road, Danny smirked, "'Cos I am dropping you off. I can check out a house man, you need..."

Slamming his hand onto the dash, Steve cursed, "Damnit, Williams! Will you just let it go already? I am fine." The last three words were bitten off for emphasis, McGarrett's voice laced with anger. Losing his own temper, again, still too much on edge, his own adrenalin soaked start of the day fresh in his memory, Danny snapped, "Underwater for 20 minutes!"

"If anything you should be checked out, Danny, you..."

Danny smoothly overran Steve and shook his head, "No, I was and I'm fine. You though seem to think you can develop gills at will. I..."

Taking his turn to interrupt, McGarrett shook his head, trying to defuse the tension, backing down a bit, "Shit Danny. You sure you aren't taking oestrogen pills or something, 'cos you are nagging like an old lady." It was a plea to leave it alone, back off, wait for after the case.

Picking up the old banter gauntlet, letting Steve turn the mood less tense, less 'you nearly died', Danny stammered, "Old lady?"

The smile was brief, "Yeah, old lady."

Going for over the top, Danny bit out, "OLD Lady? I'll hit you upside the head with my old lady parts if you don't shut up."

"Likewise."

Williams smirked, taking a sharp turn, but Steve was prepared for it. Danny laughed, "What you have old lady parts?"

Rolling his eyes, Steve sighed, "Just drive, Williams."

"And how about you google pulmonary edema already."

"Shut up!" Steve sounded angry, but he was smiling and Danny was shaking his head. Fine, he'll let it go, for now. But if Steve started sounding breathless or wheezy, or asthmatic, or whatever... Danny Williams was going to kick his ass.

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TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Just an Old Fashioned Love Song 3/4

Author: Tari_Roo

Rating: PG13 (Gen)

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I profit from nothing. Although if I had my way Steve would be bare-chested even more than he is, we would actually 'see' Danny trying to surf and Kono would be a secret Cylon. That is all.

Summary: Danny took a CPR class when Gracie was born, just in case. Danny never once imagined that he'd have to do bastardised rescue breathing to keep 'I'm a Navy Seal, I can hold my breath for five hours' Steve McGarrett alive. Sick!Steve Worried!Danny

Spoilers: for season 1 of Hawaii 5-0

Chapter 2

As the soft green and white of Manoa neighbourhood flew by, the U of H's buildings a blur, Steve took long, steady breathes, trying to ignore the pull in his chest. It was slight, barely anything at all, but it hadn't been there half an hour ago and it definitely hadn't been there this morning.

Maybe it was just Danny's paranoia working on him, causing a psychosomatic effect, a whispered fear made true, but with Danny as your partner it was an annoying, nagging fear screaming in your ear. Any ounce of common sense would have had him agreeing with Danny and staying in the hospital. But he had felt fine, and right up until half an hour ago, had been fine.

But standing up on Round Top Drive, surrounded by lights and noise and a very odd dead body, he'd felt the first twinge. A jab, a hitch in his breath. And with Danny watching him like a hawk, it was easy to shove it aside, easy to push back and yell at his partner to quit acting like a mother hen. Only ... now that hitch was a pull.

As Danny screamed up alongside 5 Kolomona Place, home of Christine Mookini, who worked at a funeral parlour, who was dating Hank Nichols, ex-husband of Julie Greer, Steve leapt out of the car, ignoring the damp patch of sweat at the small of his back, and the tight jab in his side and ran for the door.

Danny was close behind, sidearm drawn, and Steve indicated for him to go around, take the back. Danny nodded, sharp and quick and took off. Approaching the front door cautiously, listening for movement, Steve paused, giving Danny time to reach the back. "5-0, Christine Mookini. Open up!"

Silence, only his heart pounding in his ears. Vaguely he heard Danny echo the same cry and then Steve shouldered open the door. The home was neat, well put together but there were signs of a hasty departure. Danny pounded through the kitchen, and shouted, "Clear. No sign of her."

"Question is, did she leave before or after the kidnapping?" Steve gasped, lowering his gun. Danny was leaning down the corridor, and hissed, "Hey, have a look."

Steve trotted out of the room and stared at the small guest bedroom. It was covered in clothing, girl clothing. Dresses and tops, small shoes and bags. Like a fashion whirlwind had blown in and tossed the place. "Guess they needed to be prepared for whatever Ashley was wearing," Danny sighed.

"Yeah, but it still took some planning," Steve stalked into the dining room slash kitchen, looking for any clues. Pulling out his phone, he dialled Chin. Waiting for the call to go through, Steve saw the picture of three people, two adults and little Ashley Greer up at Manoa Falls on the fridge. One of the adults was Hawaiian, probably Christine Mookini, and she was wearing a park service's uniform. The man, no doubt Hank, was tall, fit, the outdoorsy type and Ashley was laughing in the picture.

Whirling, Steve strode over to the cork board over the kitchen counter, and stared at the maps of the Honolulu Mauka Trail System. There were no dots or arrows or neat little circles. But the trails could be picked up off Round Top Drive or Manoa Valley and ... could take days to traverse.

"_McGarrett?"_

Chin's voice sounded tight and worried, and Steve barked, "Any luck at Hank Nichol's place?"

"_No. But there are bags packed. Kono says there are no tickets in his name or Mookini's. What have you found?"_

Smiling, Steve tapped the large area on the map and said, "A damned clue, that's what. Meet us at Paradise Park."

Ending the call, Steve whirled and nearly slammed into Danny who had snuck up on him. "Care to share with the class, Steveo? Or are you just going to go off on your own mission, Holmes, leaving us lesser mortals in your wake?"

Rolling his eyes, Steve took a deep breath, refusing to feel the hitch and pointed at the map. "All the hiking trails around here interlink. The body was found near Round Top, here."

Danny peered at the map and nodded but before his constant verbal diarrhoea could take over, Steve turned and pointed at the refrigerator, "Girlfriend Christine used to work for Park Services, before taking up a career at a funeral home. She'd know those trails, damn well."

"Ok... but?"

Not letting Danny build up any steam at all, McGarrett snorted, "So. Drive up to Round Top, and dump a body. Then hike into the park with your kid, her none the wiser, thinking it's ok with mom and everything. Girlfriend meets you on the trail and you spend the next few days up on the trails while the island turns itself inside out looking for a murderer and not a little family hiking the Mauka trails."

Reluctantly impressed, Danny nodded, "Ok. And then come down off the trails and head for the airport?"

Tucking his phone away, Steve nodded in unison and unpinned the trail map, "Only, by then they'd know HPD would have figured out their ruse, so I'm thinking they have another plan while up in the mountains. Maybe a private road, car waiting, and new identities. They just need time."

"And HPD looking for everyone but a family." Danny slammed his hand onto the counter and Steve was moving, heading for the door. "Kono and Chin are going to meet us at Paradise Park."

"Where?" Danny huffed as he trotted after Steve, thudding down the wooden stairs. McGarrett pointed up to the Ko'olau Range rising above them, and said, "There. Paradise Park is near the entrance to Manoa Falls Trail."

Shouldering Steve aside as he made for the driver's side, Danny sighed dramatically, "Yeah, keep talking like I know where shit is."

Sliding into the passenger side, Steve caught the wheeze just in time and sighed, "Just head up into the valley, Danno. I'll tell you where to turn."

Danny though didn't argue, just gave Steve a tight look and McGarrett wondered if he'd actually caught the wheeze at all.

"Go."

The drive was silent and fast, and Steve dialled Kono just for something to do, so that Danny wouldn't keep watching him like he was going to keel over at any second. "Kono. You confirm the body with the funeral parlour?"

"_Sure did, Boss. Caroline Simms, died of cancer three days ago. The funeral home is freaking out, her parents are threatening to sue."_

Shooting a look at Danny, who slowed minimally, Steve replied, "You call Chief Fong?"

Kono sounded a little put out, "_Hey, cuz, watch the road. No, not yet. Bergman's been delayed, he's not at the scene and the entire island is on lock down. No one is taking my call."_

"Right. Just get up to Paradise Park as fast as you can."

"_Will do, Boss. If Chin doesn't kill us first!"_

Smiling, Steve ended the call just in time and pointed at the next right, "Take that one." Danny responded automatically and made the turn with ample time. The rest of the drive was silent, Danny responding to his directions without a word. Figuring this case was hitting a little close to home, a father fighting to keep his daughter, even if he was breaking the law, McGarrett wondered if it was worth the trouble of bringing that up. Danny was a stickler for the law, always would be, but when it came to Gracie, hell, he'd moved to Hawaii to be with her.

"Hey, I know this one is a tough one, but..."

"Just shut up, McGarrett. I get the parallels and similarities, I do. So, just shut up."

Sitting back in the seat, hoping Danny didn't decide to distract himself by worrying over him again, Steve tried to calm his own racing heart. It shouldn't be this hard to breath, not when sitting. But time was of the essence, before a father got away with kidnapping his daughter.

Danny pulled up into the Paradise Park parking lot, flipping his badge at the attendant. Clambering out after him, Steve took off up the fire lane, past Lyon Arboretum towards the old Manoa Falls parking lot. The run was a bad idea, and luckily he had got enough of a head start that Danny didn't catch him gasping in the rough dirt of the disused lot. There were a few tourists and hikers about, either heading up or off the trails, and Danny was wiping at his forehead as he joined him.

"What did I say about running?"

Ignoring him, Steve pointed up at the forest rising above them and snapped, "It's maybe a mile up to the Falls and then you hit some pretty tough trails."

"Too tough for a kid?"

Shrugging, Steve checked that he had his phone, sidearm and the map, "Maybe. But with an experience guide like Christine and her Dad?"

Pulling at that damn infernal tie, Danny turned to look down at the car park, "So, we waiting for Kono and Chin?"

"We have time to?" Steve barked, to which Danny whirled and jabbed a finger at Steve's aching chest. "Hey, we are acting on your gut instincts here, and as you said, they could be anywhere up there. So, yeah, we're waiting on Chin and Kono."

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It was a frigging sauna! Who on God's green earth would choose to live in a sauna! Oh, yeah. Rachel and Stan, and by defacto, Gracie and Danno. Mr 'I'm Fine' Steve McGarrett was pacing in the lot like he was itching to go nature bashing, which he probably was, but on this Danny was firm. They were not heading up onto a nature trail without backup, no matter how well traversed.

Luckily, Kono and Chin didn't take too long to reach them, Kono glaring at Chin as they ran up the fire lane. "Now I know why you ride a motorbike," she groused but Chin just smiled. "We all set?"

Steve joined them and pulled out the map. Pointing at the steep trail, McGarrett sighed, "It's straight up for us, until the Pauoa Flats, and then the trails spilt. But this is a pretty tough trail, one that Christine could handle."

Nodding Chin pointed to the trails leading down off the Flats, "And these trails lead to private roads or even the Nu'aunu Punchbowl and the Pali Highway. They could be long gone, Steve."

McGarrett shook his head, "No, not with all the road blocks and police presence. Eventually HPD will have to extend the search, and then they can come down off the mountains and head wherever. I think our best bet is to head up and ask hikers if they've seen Christine or Ashley and Hank."

Digging out her phone, Kono said, "I've got recent photos of them, I'll send them to your phones."

Pulling out his own fancy piece of shit, Danny received the files and put his phone away. Looking down at his shoes, he sighed. These were not shoes to go tramping through tropical jungles. Catching Steve's own glance at his shoes, and then his tie, Danny shoved his smart ass partner and said, "Times a wastin. Maybe they're waiting at the Falls for us."

Chin led the way, Kono close behind him, with Danny brining up the rear. Usually Steve would be vying for lead position and Danny filed that information away in the 'Ah ha! You dumbass' category of information on Steve McGarrett. Content to be at the back with Danny, Steve climbed steadily.

They met hikers almost straight away, the easy trail a popular day out. At first they got no hits on any of the pictures, but as they grew close to the Falls, a couple of hikers with massive backpacks, nodded when Kono showed them Christine's picture.

"Yeah, we saw her on the Aihualama trail, not too long after the Falls. It's pretty rough up there, the rains have been heavy." They pointed up into the dim hazy jungle, the thunder from the waterfall already audible. That was enough for Steve to pick up the pace, and Danny cursed as he slid and slipped over the damp stones.

To make matters worse a soft rain began to fall, the clouds barely even visible and Danny threw up his hands, "Nice, thank you! Just peachy."

Ahead of him Steve laughed, sounding a bit breathless and said, "It rains just about every day here, Danny."

Not wanting Steve to get too far ahead, Danny dug in and clambered up, fully intending on shoving the smartass down the waterfall. As Chin cleared the forest and made the viewing area, Kono yelled out and pointed up at the trail above the Falls. There three people were awkwardly making their way down the trail, one supported by two. As they drew nearer, the pale, pained features of Christine Mookini became clear.

Chin and Kono ran to the trail and clambered up, helping the other hikers with Christine. Danny, far too damp, and sweaty for his liking was happy to let them. He shot a sceptical eye at Steve and felt his stomach plummet when he saw how pale McGarrett was. Steve wasn't hunched over or anything, but he was breathing hard, and sweating... a lot.

"Hey, Steve," Danny reached out but McGarrett pulled away, walking towards the others. With Chin and Kono's assistance, the hikers had reached the waterfall base and limped Christine to a small bench. Her foot looked messed up and she was definitely in pain.

"Christine? Christine Mookini?"

She nodded at Chin, her lips trembling, pushing her drenched hair off her face. "I, I slipped. My foot... I..."

One of the hikers straightened and sighed, "She nearly went over, man. Luckily we got to her, and were able to help her down." Kono gave him a grateful pat and pulled out her ID. "Do us a favour? Go down to the park and send up some help, yeah?"

The hikers nodded and trotted off, leaving Christine with the 5-0 team. Chin laid a gentle hand on Christine's shoulder and said, "Where is Ashley? And Hank?"

If anything Christine went even paler. She started to stammer and shake her head, "I don't know... I don't know what you are talking about."

"Cut the crap, lady," Steve snarled, "We figured your plan out. Where is Hank heading with Ashley?"

Christine looked up into each of their faces, looking for something, maybe sympathy before sighing at Kono, "I... we didn't... "

Kono knelt next to her on the bench and said firmly, "Whatever your intentions, it doesn't change the fact that it's kidnapping. Where is Nichols?"

Staring at Kono like somehow an answer would appear, Christine shook and trembled before saying, "He's waiting for me up on the Flats. Not too far from the Tantalus trail. He just wants to be with Ashley!"

Shaking her head, Kono stood and Chin quickly walked away, pulling out his phone. Steve was strangely silent and Danny kept a careful eye on him even as he watched Chin try and get a signal.

"Nothing, Boss. But with the HPD still up near Round Top, they are closer than us right now," Chin said, pointing up to the distant hill to the East.

Steve nodded and sounded a little off as he said, "Head on down then, make the call. We'll wait here for ..."

Chin was looking at Steve was well and Danny knew he wasn't the only one. Steve was looking way too pale, and maybe it was the spray from the waterfall or sweat, but he didn't look good. "McGarrett?"

"Go, Chin. Now!"

That was full lung capacity McGarrett and Chin took off. Danny though waved at Kono who nodded, and Danny snagged Steve's horrendously coloured sleeve and dragged him towards the trail. "What's wrong?"

Shaking his head, Steve tried to free his sleeve but he wasn't denying that there was something wrong, though. It was difficult to tell with the damn waterfall, but was that a wheeze? Dragging Steve even further away so he could hear properly, Danny grabbed his partner's arm and froze. Steve's skin was cold and clammy, not hot, not sweaty. Looking up, really looking, Danny felt his stomach drop again, as he saw the lack of colour, the blue tinge to Steve's lips.

"Shit! McGarret!"

The 'I'm fine' was weak and breathless and Danny was pissed, royally pissed. "Sit down, shit, just sit down!"

Steve barely fought him as Danny shoved him down, propping him against a tree. Kono ran over, shaking and cursing her phone and its lack signal. "Danny, what's wrong?"

"The damn fool can't breathe. You got signal?"

Kono shook her head, glancing back at Christine. Danny grabbed her arm and yelled, "Forget her, she's not going anywhere. Get down to the Park and get some oxygen, now."

She didn't need telling twice and took off like a shot. Christine stayed plastered to the bench, quietly crying, but Danny was more concerned with Steve who was wheezing in earnest now. "I'm going to shoot you, you know that, right?"

Steve nodded and Danny hissed, "Deep breathes, in and out, in and out."

"Not... pregnant."

Williams snorted, running his hands through wet hair, his shirt sticking to his skin, heart pounding, "No, no, you're just drowning on dry land! What did I tell..."

But Steve was grabbing at Danny's hands, eyes suddenly round with panic. He was gasping, exhaling but nothing was going in. "Shit, shit, ahh..."

That damn CPR class may have been only 9 months ago but hell if it covered dumbass partners with pulmonary edema. But Steve wasn't getting any air, and air was needed. So Danny helped Steve lay down flat, garish shirt soaking up the mud and rain. Tilting his partner's head back, Danny waited to see if a clearer airway was going to help. But Steve was shaking his head, still gasping, still not frigging breathing.

"Shit!"

So, for the second time that day, Danny wiped his mouth, took a deep breath and covered Steve's mouth with his and breathed.

One, two.

And another breath.

The irrational, still thinking a mile a minute part of Danny's brain worried that he was only giving the idiot carbon dioxide and not enough oxygen, but since the moron of the year wasn't getting any air, Danny continued to breath.

One, two. Breathe.

Steve tasted like sweat and salt.

One, two. Breathe.

Where in the hell was Kono? Steve was staring up at him with those damn huge eyes, like he was both pissed off and scared as hell and if that didn't make Danny even more pissed off, nothing did.

One, two. Breathe.

"Come on, man!"

One, two. Breathe.

His stupid hair was falling in his stupid face, and Danny wiped it aside only for it fall back into his eyes. Rain and sweat, it didn't matter, he was soaked and Steve was still gasping, and getting paler and paler.

"Shit! Kono!"

One, two. Breathe.

Danny's chest was aching, heart beating against his chest like it was trying to climb out and beat some sense into McGarrett. Steve's hands were fisting in the mud, as he fought his own body's fragility, and his legs kept on twitching. Breath after breath after breath and Danny's head was swimming.

"Kono!"

One, two. Breathe.

Straightening Steve's airway, tilting his head back again, Danny wiped away the stream of sweat, or rain or tears, whatever and leant in for another breath, watching as Steve's chest rose and fell.

One, two. Breathe.

It felt like forever, it frigging was forever, but suddenly Kono was there, shoving Danny aside. She had two breathless paramedics with her and they had oxygen and supplies and Danny let Kono move him.

And then Chin was there too, and more paramedics with a backboard and more oxygen, everyone shouting and yelling. Feeling more than just lightheaded, Danny stood, his suit pants covered in mud, hair falling into his face. Kono was clutching his hand and saying something, but he couldn't hear over the waterfall and the pounding in his ears.

One, two. Breathe.

Chin was helping the paramedics put Steve on the backboard and in what had to be seconds they were off, carrying McGarrett down the trail. Kono moved to follow them, but Danny didn't, snapping her up short in the process.

'Danny?' she mouthed, her own hair plastered to her face, the waterfall pounding them all into the ground.

Chin's back disappeared with the rest of Steve and Kono tightened her grip on his hand. 'Come on!' she must have said but Danny couldn't hear anything besides McGarrett gasping, wheezing, heart pounding.

Steve sitting in the car, arguing with him, laughing at him, calling him an old lady.

With a snarl, Danny whirled and slammed his fist into an unsuspecting tree. The solid thing barely moved, but his fist sure did, splitting wide open. And then the sound came rushing back, and Kono was calling his name. Blinking, watching the rain dilute the blood on his knuckles, Danny sighed, "Let's go."

And he let Kono drag him off, her eyes barely able to decide which was more worrying, his expression or the damage to his hand.

They left Christine to the two HPD patrolmen they passed on the trail.

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To be concluded in part 4, chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

Just an Old Fashioned Love Song 4/4

Author: Tari_Roo

Rating: PG13 (Gen)

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I profit from nothing. Although if I had my way Steve would be bare-chested even more than he is, we would actually 'see' Danny trying to surf and Kono would be a secret Cylon. That is all.

Summary: Danny took a CPR class when Gracie was born, just in case. Danny never once imagined that he'd have to do bastardised rescue breathing to keep 'I'm a Navy Seal, I can hold my breath for five hours' Steve McGarrett alive. Sick!Steve Worried!Danny

Spoilers: for season 1 of Hawaii 5-0

Chapter 3

Danny had had worse days. Life as a cop meant you got more than your fair share of crappy days with screaming parents, distraught spouses, cold hearted killers, dead kids. Throw in the average statistics on divorce, accidents, injuries and Murphy's law, and Daniel Williams was bound to have a load of crap days.

Today didn't even make the top twenty, even throwing in idiotic partners with the terminal need to act tough. The paramedics had rushed McGarrett off to Queen's but they had headed to HPD headquarters with Christine Mookini. It didn't take long for two HPD squad cars to arrive with Hank Nichols and Ashley Greer, screaming down from the other side of Round Top Drive.

And then Danny got the icing on the crap day cake. Ashley screaming for her father as the officers dragged him inside. She was old enough and smart enough to figure that the unusual and unplanned father daughter hike was out of the ordinary, but she was alone with strangers, and her Dad was being hauled away by policeman.

Christine was in booking already, but Ashley struggled and fought with the female police officer holding her, screaming bloody murder for her Daddy. Mom was still fighting traffic, even with a police escort and the girl was scared, terrified for herself and her father.

The officer was trying, she really was, probably had kids of her own, but damn if she wasn't making things worse. Kono was arguing on the phone with the hospital, Chin was dealing with the fallout of Five-Oh going off on their own again, and Danny? Danny was pissed off.

Walking away from the paramedic who was trying to examine his hand, Danny closed the distance between the ambulance and the squad car. Ashley was red faced, tears streaming down her cheeks, straining to get to her father. Danny signalled to the officers hauling Hank away and snapped at the female officer, "Let her go."

She was stunned enough to obey and Ashley took off like a shot, straight for her father. They met in the doorway to the station, and Hank tried to return her desperate hug as best he could with his hands cuffed behind him. Officer Ford scowled at him but Danny glared right back. "Her mom will be here in five minutes..."

"He kidnapped her!"

Danny waved her off and stalked back to his team. Sure enough, a police escort was soon demanding a path through the crowds and Julie Greer was running for the steps of the HPD Station towards her daughter. Danny didn't watch as Ashley left her Dad and he was taken inside, but he could hear her sobs and her mother's soothing replies.

Hank Nichols was a grade one jackass because who thought messing around with one dead kid and causing two families hours of grief and anxiety was worth a few hours with your daughter. Not when it was bound to end like this, and not when this meant he wouldn't see Ashley for years. Moron.

Speaking of morons. "Hospital says Steve is doing ok," Kono called out.

Danny nodded. Sure Steve was doing ok. Pulmonary edema was treatable, if you caught it in time. Hell, a lot of things were. Kono shoved her phone in her pocket and smiled shakily, "He's on a high oxygen treatment, will probably be in the hospital for 24 hours, maybe longer."

Danny nodded again, looking at his hand. The paramedic had barely cleared away the blood, and it stung like mad, a sharp throbbing ache.

"You coming?"

Looking up, straight at Kono's earnest, relieved face and Danny felt a silver of shame but it was drowned by the torrent of anger. "No."

"Danny..."

Kono was all 'be reasonable', 'don't be a hardass' but Williams shook his head. "Nah, we've got a tonne of paperwork to get to and right now I don't want to say something I'm going to regret." Chin walked over, his expression a mirror of Kono's and he smiled, "We set?"

"Call me if anything changes," Danny said, and headed over to the paramedic who was tapping her watch, waiting for him.

He ignored the shared look between the cousins. It might not have been the worst day and might not have ranked in the top twenty, but hell if he was going to end it by punching his partner in the face, even if he was in the hospital with first aid a buzzer away. No. Not today. Not when he'd saved his life. Twice. In one day.

Just no.

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Queen's Medical Centre was a pretty decent place to be sick in. Awesome gardens, modern amenities, efficient personnel. But it was still a hospital and while it wasn't a military MASH tent in the middle of a war zone, it wasn't somewhere Steve planned on being for very long.

Somehow he'd ended up in his own room, with a couple of IVs pumping in medication and a serious threat from the nurses to stay put. The ride in on the ambulance had been somewhat of a blur, but luckily the ER team hadn't had to resort to using a CPAP to help him breathe, the steady flow of oxygen enough to stave off the crushing pressure in his lungs.

The nurse though looking after him had given him a long lecture about seeking medical treatment after near drowning and Steve had sat through it in silence, figuring he both deserved it and was going to get one with a lot more swearing and personal insults from Danny.

He'd half expected to find his team waiting by the door to his room when the nurse left, but their absence was keenly felt. Only the occasional nurse or patient trundled past, no familiar face in sight. Lying back against the stiff starchy pillows, trying not to fidget against the never soft sheets, McGarrett wished someone would come and tell him what was happening.

But sure enough, after not too long, Kono slunk in, looking cool and polished. Her hair had somehow recovered from the rain still looking sleek and awesome and Steve smiled, sitting up straighter, oxygen cannula in place.

"Hey," she smiled, putting down a clipboard of documents on his bedside tray.

"Hey," Steve hissed, disliking how croaky he sounded. Kono wiped her forehead, and leant against the bed, "You're looking better."

"Thanks, I think." McGarrett looked past her, wondering where the others were.

"Feeling better?" There was an ounce of chastisement in her voice, and Steve refused to bite, refused to be embarrassed so he just nodded, "Yeah."

There was a beat of silence and Kono sighed, "So, HPD found Ashley with her father and brought them in. When we left HQ the Greers had arrived, and ..."

Nodding, pleased, Steve croaked, "And the Simms?"

Frowning, Kono sat down on the bed, barely denting the stiff mattress and shrugged, "They're pretty mad. Their daughter's face is a total mess and they were supposed to bury her tomorrow. Mookini and Nichols are looking at some serious charges and time."

"Good," Steve hissed, as he moved, feeling his chest spark in protest as he did so.

"You sure you're ok, Boss?"

Nodding, and smiling as best one could with a cannula on your face, McGarrett sighed, "I'm fine." Kono shook her head and handed Steve his phone. "The Governor called. Said good job, as usual. Not too impressed that you put yourself in the hospital though."

Still nodding and taking the phone, McGarrett smirked, "Yeah, I bet she's not the only one. Is Danny out there?"

Kono took a deep breath and smiled brightly, "Chin is... he's on the phone to Mary."

Sitting up sharply and almost yelping as the IV pulled, McGarrett hissed, "What? She's supposed to be off the grid, not getting phone calls from Hawaii!"

Reassuring her Boss, pushing him back into the pillows, Kono smiled a small sad sort of smile and said, "It's a secure line, Chin made sure. She should know you're in the hospital."

Not entirely convinced, but not really up to an argument, Steve lay back and growled, "Fine. I don't agree, but ok."

Kono laughed and Steve couldn't help asking, "So, no Danny?" She shook her head, half amused, half uneasy. Not really looking at him, more looking at the floor, Kono sighed, "He's pissed at you. Really, really pissed. Majorly pissed." She ended by meeting Steve's eyes, impressing the severity, but still smiling.

Rolling his eyes, Steve waved that off, smiling himself, "Fine, I get it."

Shaking her head and taking his hand nearest to her, Kono lost her smile, "No, really, Steve. He's angry as hell. Refused to come. Gave me a note just as we were leaving."

"What?" McGarrett snapped, stunned. A note? How third grade.

Kono pulled out the piece of paper, rumpled and dirty and read doing a fair imitation of Danny. "Tell that bastard I am not talking to him. Fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes of mouth to mouth. Fifteen minutes." Kono paused, looked down and then up at Steve. "You really had us worried, Boss. And there are a lot of exclamation marks in here." She handed the note over and Steve took it with a wince.

There were a crap load of exclamation marks.

Flummoxed, Steve stared at the note, "But we got Ashley back! Reunited her with her family!"

Kono nodded, perhaps puzzling out the complicated working of Williams, "Yes, but from her father who was desperate to see her, and sent back to a mother who refused to let him see her. I guess it's all a little too close to home and add you nearly dying to that and he's furious."

"I didn't nearly die!" Steve snapped, and the heart monitor next to him spiked, and his chest pulled and Kono's raised eyebrow of disagreement all combined in to one 'Oh really, Steve McGarrett?'

Waving Chin over who was striding down the corridor, Kono snorted, "Yeah, Boss, you did. First on the boat, underwater for who knows how long and then for fifteen minutes at Manoa. You gave us all a scare."

Refusing to back down though, Steve waved at Chin who walked through the door, "I know, I was awake through it all, I..."

Chin though picked up the tail end of the conversation and patted Kono's knees as he pulled the chair closer to bed. Sitting down, he said, "True but you're weren't the one doing mouth to mouth and didn't see a little girl screaming for her Dad. He's angry, Steve."

"And you ignored him, Boss," Kono sighed, "A lot."

Giving in, acknowledging that he'd pushed the limits, McGarrett leant back and sighed, "Shit."

"Yeah, Boss. Shit."

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It was late, close to midnight, long past visiting hours. Kono and Chin had stayed long enough to fill him in on any and all details he might want to know. They had left and returned with dinner, sneaking it past the nurses' station. Mary had called, given her brother an earful but made him laugh in the end. Even the Governor had called again, and Steve had gone bright red at her own brand of careful admonishment.

Eventually the nurses had shooed Kono and Chin off and they had left with promises to return in the morning with real coffee. The hospital had grown silent and still, a settled hush of careful anticipation, heading for sleep and dreams.

And no Danny Williams.

The note lay crumpled and ignored on Steve's beside tray, a white piece of angry condemnation.

Steve's dinner had been tasteless but nutritious mishmash of vegetables and chicken, with the cliché bowl of jello. McGarrett had wanted to point out the pineapple chunks in the jello and watch Danny's now clichéd eyeroll, but Kono and Chin hadn't got it. So instead, Steve had left the jello and argued with the nurse about leaving it on the tray.

Now, alone with his pineapple spotted green jello, Steve lay awake, listening to the wheeze of his own breathing, and the drip of medicated IV bags.

The light from the hallway dimmed slightly and McGarrett looked up slowly, half afraid to hope and kinda embarrassed that he was so keen. Danny's distinctive silhouette was slumped against the doorjamb, and McGarrett couldn't help the smile.

"Danny, I..."

"Shut up."

Williams stepped in and checked the hallway behind him and closed the distance to the bed. Steve sat up straighter, refusing to wince at the aches and pains. Danny slumped in the chair and propped his chin up with his left hand, glaring at Steve.

"Danny,..."

"I said, shut up."

So Steve shut up, and leant back, waiting for the inevitable tirade, relieved that Danny had come, forgiven him at least this far. It also boded well that he'd come this late, it meant he couldn't shout at William's volume number ten, but it also meant he had had time to brood, cool down.

"So, what? We just gonna sit here..."

"Can you not shut up for five minutes! Man, it's like you have verbal diarrhoea," Danny hissed.

Steve smiled in the dark, knowing Danny could see him and thought, 'Pot, Kettle, Williams.' But he shut up. And waited. As Danny's slumped figure became clearer in the gloom, Steve noticed the bandages, the stiff set to his shoulders, and how careful he was holding his right hand.

"What happened..."

"Shut up!"

Losing some of his patience, Steve opened his mouth to argue, to snap his partner out of this foul tempered funk when Williams grunted, "I know I go on a lot about your death wish, I get that."

"Danny."

But Williams steamrolled on. "I get that you're a grown man, a frigging Navy Seal and that you can take care of yourself. And usually it's me I'm worried about during your hairbrained antics."

Steve sighed, wanting to ask about the hand again. Danny snorted, derision mixed with exhaustion, "But shit if I expected to have to mother hen my own partner!"

"No one asked..."

Danny dragged the chair closer, the screech of the plastic on the floor cutting Steve off, and Williams hissed, "Not done, dumbass. I am not doing this again."

McGarrett's heart pounded, wondering if somehow he misjudged this, wondering if Danny was going to quit and strangely pissed about that. But Williams snarled, "There isn't going to be next time, but next time, McGarrett... I am punching you out and dragging you a hospital. Got it?"

It was difficult seeing Danny's expression clearly, difficult to judge his emotions beside anger, and that was perhaps why Danny had chosen the half gloom of night to do it. Tempted to wave it off, and make a joke about Williams not being able to punch him out, or something like that, Steve held his tongue. Instead Steve sighed and said, "I'm sorry I sacred you, Danny."

Chuffing, snorting, and running his hand through his hair, Danny sat back in the chair and laughed, "No, you're not."

"Yeah, I am. I am sorry."

Danny didn't say anything else, nothing about 'you nearly died', or about doing CPR, or about oxygen deprived Seal brains. Danny Williams was a loyal man, to a fault. He'd followed his daughter around the world, let his brother fly away on a plane, and stuck by a partner who frustrated and scared him. There was no easy way to express any of that, so Steve tried to catch Danny's eyes, difficult in the dark and he said, "Thanks for saving my life. Both times."

Dany grunted, "Not doing it again, just so you know. I've had my quota of CPR for the year."

"Kay."

"And you owe me a new suit."

"Fine."

"And a new tie."

"No."

Danny grunted again as he settled in the chair and waved what might have been a middle finger at Steve or what might have been a bunch of them. Feeling better, surprisingly so, McGarrett waited, counted it off in his head, and asked, "What happened to the hand?"

"I hit a tree."

Smiling, Steve laughed, "Why?"

Covering his mouth, Danny hmphed, "It was a pineapple tree."

"Oh. I have pineapple jello if you want."

"Go to sleep, McGarrett."

"Yes, Danno."

"What did I say about that?"

"Night, Danny."

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Fin.

AN: And we are done. I seem to like ending h/c stories in hospitals, late at night (ponders). Hope you enjoyed, even though it was short.

For those of you who might be interested, in 1.17, the long hill Danny and Steve were pushing Steve's car up looked a lot like Round Top Drive (from my meanderings on Google street maps). And then Danny said it was Pali highway, and I was sad. But still! edit: Ha! Vindicated. It was Round Top Drive. Ha!

Right back, to the AN. I have an idea for a longer fic, but I wanted to run it by you guys first. I don't read a lot of Hawaii Five-0 fic only because I am short on time at present and when it comes down to reading or writing, well the WIPs win. And, not knowing what fanon is doing, or writing, I wanted to check if this story has been done already.

Some good old boys from Jersey come over to Hawaii and grab Danny. He has intel on a snitch within their organisation and they want it. So I envision a hard metal chair, a straight razor and salt. Ole Steve is running around trying to find Danny and when the bad guys make a move on Gracie, in order to get leverage over Danny, Steve ends up looking after her and trying to find Danno, with the appropriate kick ass coolness of Kono and Chin at his side.

So, has it been done? And if so, tell me, tell me so I can go read it

Thanks


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